Miniature pinball device



July 1, 1947. A. SHULKIN MINIATURE PINBALL DEVICE F iled Dec. 18, 1944 III/I y WWW Patented July 1, 1947 ant UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to pin ball machines and has particular reference to a miniature so-called pocket-sized type such as is believed to be ingenious and, therefore, an innovation in this line of endeavor.

More specifically, I have devised a simple and expedient pin ball game or device of a portable pocket-sized form suuceptible of being carried on ones person for handy and convenient use,

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention, I provide a unique adaptation to the purposes intended, the same being characterized by an obstacle equipped ball receptive playing field, a ball-accommodating and projecting chute and novel spring-returned means coacting with the ball loading end of the chute for effectively projecting said ball.

Another object of the invention has to do with the adoption and use of a single ball, this to provide for simplicity, economy in construction, and ease and fairness in tallying the scores made by the players.

Another phase of the invention, seemingly possessed of newness, is the adoption and use of an appropriately anchored and tensioned fiat spring carrying a trigger at one end, the intermediate reach of the spring being so fashioned and arranged as to coast with short spaced partitions, the latter in conjunction with the coacting portion of the spring defining ball trapping pockets or stalls.

Then too, the bottom of the ball-accommodation obstacle field is contoured with pre-determined declivities r inclined regions coacting and merging with each other to facilitate gravitation of the ball from one end of the field into the stalls and then from the stalls toward the loading end of the ball feeder chute.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view, with the transparent cover removed, of a miniature pin ball device constructed in accordance with the specific principles of the instant invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the lower or inner end portion of the device, the cover panel being in place and the scoring legends painted or otherwise arranged on the underside thereof.

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional View taken centrally on the plane of the line 4-43 of Figure 1, also looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the lower end portion of the device showing the ball propulsion spring flexed to receive the ball and to facilitate placing same in entrance end of the chute.

The main body of the device, which is preferably rectangular in form and about the size illustrated in the drawing, is cast or otherwise formed from metal, plastic, or the like. The body as a unit, is denoted by the numeral 5. The top side thereof is provided with a recess defining an upstanding marginal rim and the upper surface portion 6 of said rim has a marginal groove 1 which defines a ledge for properly seating the glass, plastic or other transparent panel 8. On one side, as shown in Figure 1, is a longitudinal properly positioned and proportioned rib 9 which coacts with the adjacent portion of the rim in defining a ball runway or chute Hi this to accommodate the projectible ball II. The outer discharge end thereof is deflected laterally as at E2 and coacts with the arcuate ball guiding abutment IS. The numeral I4 designates a diamond-shaped boss which is centrally arranged in respect to the longitudinal dimension of the ball-accommodation field and other associated features. This is one of the socalled obstacles. The other obstacles are in the form of studs or pins l5 and these are arranged at pre-determined points by the manufacturer. The numeral l6 designates a penalty line which will be later covered. Adjacent the left hand corner area is a suitably shaped rubber bumper or buffer ii. The numeral I8 designates an insert or block having a longitudinally bowed edge H) which serves as a spring flexing eye gage and stop and this has its left hand end formed with an L-shaped notch which is spaced from adjacent surfaces of the rim to provide a keeper for the coacting end of the spring. The spring, as a unit, is of general U-shaped form and has one end of L-shaped form, the portions 20 and 2| thereof being anchored in the L-shaped keeper notch defined between said insert block l8 and adjacent wall portions of the rim of the body. The free opposite end of the spring is laterally directed as at 22 to define a trigger and the free terminal of this has a suit' able lateral trip 23. The trip equipped end extends through an accommodation kerf 24 in the right hand corner portion of the body. The intermediate reach portion 25 of the spring bridges the lower half portion of the playing field. It is of sufiicient resiliency to provide the ball propulsion requirements. In addition, it constitutes a gatej as is evident. That is to say, the trigger-equipped end bridges the loading end of the chute It to serve as a projector for the ball. The intermediate or reach portion 25 bears at one end against the buffer l1 and then bridges, in slight spaced relation, the

spaced parallel partitions. I provide four of hose in order to define five ball-receptive and scoring stalls or pockets. It is also to be noted that the intermediate portion 25 of the spring is slightly diagonal in respect to the longitudinal dimension of the body. Moreover, the dividers 26, which are of sufiicient height, incline from right to left, this for the purpose of facilitating the return of the ball into the ball-return area where it is retrieved and delivered into said chute. The main ball-coursing surface 2"! is inclined from the abutment I3- tovvard the stalls. This decline is brought out in Figure 4. Then, the ball-return area has its surface 28 inclined from left to right. Or, in other words, we have a longitudinal inclination 21 merging into a coacting transverse inclination 28," these coacting Withthe ball-receivingpockets to facilitatereleasing of the balls after they have been trapped. There is sufficient clearance between the partitions 128 and the stop. surface l9 to permit the ball to clear out of any one of the pockets and 'to roll and follow down on the portion 22 of the spring, whereby to permit it to be properly located for the next shot.

' The underside of the cover 8 is provided with suitably designedand painted ball-scoring indicators 29, of which there are five in general practice. These register with the stalls or pockets. v

The ball propulsion element is preferably a one-piece springfserving atthe same time as aguard'o'r gate for score denoting stalls. Same is to be made out of metal spring, rubber band, string, gut string, plasticwooden spring, push plu'nger, snap plunger, etc, all of which serve the stated double functionj The purpose is. to. achieve the highest score by skillful shooting of the ball from the loading compartment of 'thechute into the field with obstacles and then the placing of theball into the score stalls orpocketsl The'stalls are arranged in the following fashion:

#1 stall scores Loss #2. scores 500.

#3 scores 300 #4 scores 1001". #5.scores Win By virtue of the placement of obstacles in the playfield, the win score i's'the most difficult to achieve; and; could be done consistently only by a very delicate shot to propelthe ball. Such adelicate shot will propel'the ball against the Diamond obstacle, then bounceofi and follow a direct course downward between theobstacle Pins and the side of the Chute right down into; the Win stall. Conversely, the Loss stall is arranged in relation to the obstacles in the playfieldin such: a way that in careless playing, it is the easiest compartment to place theballin. The rest of the Score Stalls are distributed about evenly] About three-quarters up the length of the Chute, there is a penalty line. This is provided to penalizeoverlydelicate shooting; the penalty shots considered to be'those that pass above the; penalty lineinside of the chute but are not, strong enough to reach. out into. the obstacle playfield and consequently roll back, into the loading compartmen The invention is in effect, a, portable .gamepiece. in the form of a pin; ball machine. In Dlaged upona flat table such, as a, surfaceand fo 1 this reason thebottorn or underside of the pocket-sized miniaturev use it is preferably.

body is perfectly flat to insure that it will be level and that fairness of play will exist among competitive players. Of course, certain players will agree to use the device while held in the palm of the hand but is primarily intended to sit fiat on a stationary surface.

An article of this type can be made, in actual practice, as a belt buckle, or, can be used in connection with a wrist-band or bracelet, as a sort of an ornament. In fact, it might be providedon the back with a pin to be employed as a sort of lapel ornament. These are, however, incidental phases of the invention.

Due to the size of the device herein illustrated it is referred to as a miniature pin ball device. The latter expression is used advisedly in contrast to the expression machine inasmuch as the same feature could be employed a full sized machine. By the same token an article of this type, being somewhat toy-like in form could, as before implied, be covered as a sort of a game piece. I simply desire to biting attention to these factors in order to assist the reader in interpreting the nature of the invention, the scope and the delinitions thereof in the claims.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and arrangement of details coming within the field. of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

I claim:

1 A miniature pin ball device of the class described comprising a fiat bottom base. having a recessed portion defining a ball-accommodation field, the field being provided at one end with a curvate abutment; being provided on one side with a longitudinal rib defining a chute, being provided on an opposite side with a resilient bumper, being provided between the bumper and inner end of said rib with substantially spaced parallel slightly inclined unstanding dividers, said dividers defining ballreceiving stalls, and resilient ball-projecting means. having a. manually operated member, said means bridging the bumper, the intake end of the chute, and. adjacent discharge. ends of said stalls, and the. bottom of..said1ball-accommodation field having a' longitudinal inclination to facilitate pro-per gravitation of the ball, the ball-return, end of said field'havin'g a second inclination, this transverse to .the first -inclination.

2. A pin ball device of the class described comprising a. body including. a base anda recessed portion defining a ball-accommodation field, said field having ball diverting obstacles therein, there. being a ball chute on one side of. the field, the ball-return end'of the field being provided. with a plurality of laterally angled substantially paralleland; spaced risers constituting dividers, said dividers coacting 1 in pairs to define open ended ball receiving and trapping stalls, a spring arm having one and anchored to the body into a lateral finger-actuated trip, theinter-- mediate portion spanning and bridging-the discharge end of the stalls and constituting -a closinggatefor said stalls.

3. A. pinball device of the class described and one end fashioned comprising a body and a palying field embodying a chute, ball engaging and deflecting obstacles and a plurality of ball-scoring stalls, an insert mounted in said body at the ball-return end of the field, said insert having a keeper notch, and a spring ball projector device having one end portion bent and anchored in said notch with the opposite end being laterally bent to provide a handle, the intermediate portion spanning and bridging the intake end of the chute and the discharge ends of the stalls.

4. A pin ball device of the class described comprising a base, said base having a playing field provided with a ball loading and discharging chute, ball engaging and deflecting obstacles, ball receiving and scoring stalls having open intake and discharge ends, and a manually operated ball projector and stall gate forming means located adjacent and normally bridging and closing the discharge ends of said stalls.

5. A miniature pin ball device of the class described comprising a base, said base having a playing field provided with a ball loading and discharging chute, ball engaging and deflecting obstacles, a row of ball pocketing and scoring stalls having open intake and discharge ends, and a manually retractible, finger released ball projector means operatively mounted for projectible and retractible operation on said base and situated, bridging and normally closing the discharge ends of said stalls, said means also simultaneously bridging and closing the intake end. of said ball chute.

6. A miniature pin ball device of the class described comprising a base, said base having a playing field provided with a ball loading, delivering and discharging chute, ball contacting and deflecting obstacles, ball retrieving and scoring stalls having normally open intake and discharge ends, and manually operated combined gate and ball projector means, said means being projectible and retractible and bridging and closing the otherwise open discharge ends of said stalls, said means also simultaneously bridging and closing the intake end of said ball chute, said means having a slidalbly mounted finger-grip, the latter movable by hand in a direction away from the discharge ends of the stalls and chute to release each trapped ball and to facilitate and then guide the delivery of said ball toward and into the loading and end of said chute.

7. A miniature pin ball device of the class described comprising a base having a playing field provided with a plurality of ball contacting and deflecting obstacles, a longitudinal rib in said field defining an open ended ball loading and projecting chute, being further provided with a plurality of parallel upstanding members coacting with said base and one another in defining a plurality of open ended ball retrieving stalls, and a spring arm mounted on said base anchored at one end and having an opposite end freely swingable and provided with a lateral hand actuated member projecting to the exterior of the base for convenient grasping and hand operation, said spring arm normally bridging and closing the discharge ends of said stalls and also bridging and closing the intake end of said chute, said spring arm serving to trap balls pocketed in said stalls, further serving when moved away from said stalls to release the balls in a manner to guide same toward the intake end of the chute, and further serving to project the balls one by one through and beyond the discharge end of said chute.

8. A miniature pin ball game device of the class described comprising a. base of general rectangular form including a playing field provided on one longitudinal side with an open ended ball loading and projecting chute, being provided in its main area with a plurality of obstacles adapted to be contacted by the balls shot from the discharged end of said chute, being further provided at one end with transversely arranged open ended ball trapping stalls, and a flat spring anchored in said playing field at the stall equipped end of the base, said flail spring having one end laterally directed to provide a finger-piece, the major portion of said flat spring forming a stall gate and spanning and bridging the discharge ends of the stalls and also bridging the intake end of said chute.

ANATOL SHULKIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 173,604 Ellson Feb. 15, 1876 1,574,653 Holm Feb. 23, 1926 1,622,877 McMann Mar. 29, 1927 1,877,190 McCormick Sept. 13, 1932 2,138,859 Hubbard Dec. 6, 1938 1,403,402 Grasso Jan. 10, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 427,486 Great Britain Apr. 24, 1935 

